Tuesday night felt like a game the Braves had to have if they wanted to potentially make the postseason. It was undoubtedly the most important game of the season, and all eyes were on the rookie Spencer Schwellenbach.
Schwellenbach’s rise to the majors isn’t one you see too often. He began the year in High-A Rome, and after less than 50 innings, he found himself in the majors, never looking back.
At first, there were some bumps, but over the last three months, Schwellebach hasn’t pitched like a rookie. He’s been the Braves best starter outside of Chris Sale, which is even more impressive when considering Atlanta boasts the best rotation in the sport.
Still, asking a 24-year-old rookie to go out and save the season of one of the most successful franchises over the last three decades is asking a lot. There’s no telling what might have been going through the 24-year-old’s head when he toed the rubber for the first time Tuesday night in front of 40,000 fans that might have been even more stressed than he was. However, sometimes guys are too young and dumb to know any better.
That was the case for Spencer Schwellenbach Tuesday night. The Mets never seemed to have much of a chance, mustering just three hits and one run over seven innings. Meanwhile, the Braves offense started their final homestand of the season the way they ended their latest road trip, providing the rookie with some room to breathe, courtesy of a huge night from Michael Harris II, who finished 3-for-4 with a single, double, and a home run.
Marcell Ozuna also added a homer, his 39th of the season. The Big Bear is now just one home run shy of his second straight 40-homer, 100 RBI campaign. Ozzie Albies and Ramon Laureano each pitched in RBI singles of their own, helping the Braves to an early five run lead, one they had no problem holding onto behind Schwellenbach’s masterpiece.
It was one of the Braves most complete games of the season when they needed it most. The win puts them just one game behind the Mets in the Wild Card race, and with the Diamondbacks also losing on Tuesday night, the Braves sit just a half-game behind Arizona for the final Wild Card spot. 162-game seasons rarely come down to the final game, but with less than a week of games remaining, a photo finish feels inevitable.
—
Photo: Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire
You must log in to post a comment.